PESHAWAR:
Jamaat-e-Islami Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman on Sunday warned against nationwide mobilization after Eid, denouncing the country’s current judicial and political system as “incapable of delivering justice.”
He said the system needed a fundamental overhaul rather than just a change of government.
He announced that the JI would launch a nationwide membership drive from April 25 to May 15 to attract millions of people to the party, urging workers to actively participate in the campaign.
Addressing a gathering of party activists at the party center in Peshawar, the JI leader said changing political parties would not resolve the crisis, arguing that “the real problem is to change the system as a whole.”
He criticized mainstream parties, saying those seeking power and seats could join the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) or the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), while those committed to systemic change should align with his party.
He stressed the need to strengthen local governments, rejecting the concentration of power in bureaucracy. He said giving funds to administrative officers such as deputy commissioners and deputy commissioners was unacceptable, instead calling for an end to monopolies held by a few individuals.
On the education crisis, he said ten million children in Punjab and more than five million in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are still out of school.
Hafiz Naeem said the United States “could never be the friend of Muslims,” although mediation efforts should continue.
Referring to Pakistan’s past alignment with Washington, he said the country had gained nothing from supporting the United States in 2001. While acknowledging Pakistan’s current role in promoting peace, he called for a dignified foreign policy rather than closer ties with US President Donald Trump, saying “they have become humiliated.”
He added that ceasefire efforts were going in the right direction, noting that Iran had opened the Strait of Hormuz while the United States had not lifted its blockade.
“Reconciliation and ceasefire efforts are appropriate, but submission to the United States is unacceptable. American friendship has only brought us terrorism,” he said.
He added that the United States had harmed Pakistan on several occasions, including during the 1971 Pakistan crisis and the post-2001 period, which he said led to terrorism and economic damage.
He said the government had collected 180 billion rupees during the six weeks of war and collected billions more through oil tax, alleging that “the government is not missing any opportunity to loot public pockets.”
He added that Rs 1,234 billion was collected through the levy in the current fiscal year and hit out at the PML-N and PPP for not taking a clear stand against the US actions and Trump.
